A14216:959
The Sum of Christian Religion
The sum of Christian religion: delivered by Zacharias Ursinus in his lectures upon the Catechism authorised by the noble Prince Frederick, throughout his dominions: wherein are debated and resolved the questions of whatsoever points of moment, which have been or are controversed in divinity. Translated into English by Henry Parry, out of the last & best Latin editions, together with some supply of wa[n]ts out of his discourses of divinity, and with correction of sundry faults & imperfections, which are [sic] as yet remaining in the best corrected Latin.The summe of Christian religion: deliuered by Zacharias Vrsinus in his lectures vpon the Catechism autorised by the noble Prince Frederick, throughout his dominions: wherein are debated and resolued the questions of whatsoeuer points of moment, which haue beene or are controuersed in diuinitie. Translated into English by Henrie Parrie, out of the last & best Latin editions, together with some supplie of wa[n]ts out of his discourses of diuinitie, and with correction of sundrie faults & imperfections, which ar [sic] as yet remaining in the best corrected Latine.
Oxford: printed by Joseph Barnes, 1587Oxford: printed by Ioseph Barnes, 1587
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The son of man which is in heaven: and John. 14. I am in the father, and the father is in me. So the holy ghost was truly present in the likeness of a Dove and a flame, at the Baptism of Christ, & at Pentecost, & now dwelleth in us as in his Temple: And yet is always with the father and the Son in heaven, as the father and the Son are with him in all the Saints, which are dispersed through out heaven and earth: And hence appeareth the third difference between an infinite nature, and a finite nature, or the third reason, which is only opened in the word of God, whereby the divine essence is incomprehensible, to wit, by communication, whereas the whole is in such sort common to the three persons of the Divinity, as not only it is in them as in the creatures, but also is their very substance, & yet nevertheless remaineth in number one and the same.
The sonne of man which is in heauen: and Iohn. 14. I am in the father, and the father is in me. So the holy ghost was truely present in the likenesse of a Doue and a flame, at the Baptism of Christ, & at Pentecost, & now dwelleth in vs as in his Temple: And yet is alwaies with the father and the Sonne in heauen, as the father and the Sonne are with him in all the Saintes, which are dispersed through out heauen and earth: And hence appeareth the third difference betweene an infinite nature, and a finit nature, or the third reason, which is onely opened in the worde of God, whereby the diuine essence is incomprehensible, to witte, by communication, whereas the whole is in such sort common to the three persons of the Diuinity, as not only it is in them as in the creatures, but also is their very substance, & yet neuerthelesse remaineth in number one and the same.
Now, that it is proper to the Deity alone, 1nor imparted or communicated to any creature to be infinite or immense, or to be every where at the same time, or to be the same in diverse places, is apparent by these reasons. First, Because it is impossible that any creature should be, or be made equal to the creator, as it hath been often said: Lord, who is like unto thee? 2. Because god himself by this mark distinguisheth and discerneth himself from the creatures: for in saying, that he is, he, who filleth heaven & earth, he signifieth that there is no other such besides him. 3. Because christ showeth his divinity by this argument, in that when he was in body on earth, yet he affirmeth himself to be in heaven,